Forge locked grating.



D. F. YOUNGBLOOD.

I FORGE LOCKED GRATING.

APPLICATION FILED I'BBQQ, 1909. Patented No v 23 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1). F. YOUNGBLOOD. FORGE LOOKED GRATING.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, 1909,

Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

bar era iron.

DAVID FRANKLIN YOUNGBLOOD, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

FORGE LOCKED GRATING.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID F. YOUNGBLOOD,

a citizen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and j.

y the disadvantages above referred to by pro- State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Forge Locked Grating, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to gratings, grips, or other like structures, composed of interlocked crossed bars, these grids or gratings being particularly designed for use in ails or other structures where particularly rigid connections between the crossed bars are required.

Heretofore in the construction of gratings of this character the series of bars running in one direction have been formed with slots which extended in a direction parallel to the side edges of the bars and the second series of bars after being inserted through the slots have been bent at an angle to the plane of the edges of the first-named bars.

Hence, the second series of bars have had those portions between the first series of bars at an angle. The consequence of this has been that when the grating is set up with the first series of bars vertical, the second series or horizontal bars have been illclined to a vertical plane. As a consequence, they have been unsightly, and more than that, present a supporting surface for the collection of dust and dirt. This is, of course, particularly objectionable in structures wherein correct sanitation is almost absolutely necessary. a

The sections of gratin s constructed in the manner above described are usually supported in frames composed of two parallel strips of metal. As a consequence, the ends of the horizontal bars are inclined to the vertical, and, hence, cannot be properly and rigidly fastened between the strips of the frame unless they are turned into the vertical plane. A further disadvantage incident to the manner of making the gratings above referred to is due to the fact that it is impossible to make the slots in the vertical bars through which the horizontal'bars pass fit the horizontal bars so closely as to prevent any lateral motion of the horizontal bars in relation to the vertical bars, and that in bending the horizontal bars the bend is not brought up close to the vertical bars and does not extend into the vertical bars Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Nov. 23, 1909. Application filed February 9, 1909.-

Serial No. 476,908.

to an extent which will absolutely lock the horizontal bars to the vertical bars and prevent any lateral movement thereof.

The object of my invention is to overcome viding a structure wherein the horizontal bars when turned, after insertion through the vertical bars, are not at an angle to a vertical plane, but wherein their faces are truly vertical,.thus preventing the collection of dust, making a sightly appearance and permitting the ends of the bars to be clamped between the frame plates or strips.

A further object is to so assemble the vertical and horizontal bars that the bends in the horizontal bars-shall eXtend into the slots in the vertical bars and that the bends in the horizontal bars on both sides 'of the vertical bars shall contact with the vertical bars, thus absolutely interlocking the two sets of bars and preventing any sidewise motion at all. This adds to the ease with which the bars may be assembled and adds very much to their rigidity.

The invention further consists in a frame whereby the sections of grating are connected to each other and adapted for mounting within a window or other opening.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a face view of a grating and the-framing bars thereof; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a perspectiveview enlarged of a portion of the grating shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a side view of one of the vertical bars of the grating, two of the horizontal bars being shown in section; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail perspective view enlarged of one of the horizontal bars showing the peculiar bend therein; Fig. 6 is a section across the vertical bars and one of the horizontal bars.

In the operation of my invention I use a series of vertical bars, 2, each formed with a series of slots, 3, inclined to the vertical as shown in Fig. 4, these slots being for the reception of the horizontal bars 5. The ends of the vertical bars 2 are rotatively bent at right-angles to the plane of the vertical bars as at 4-, so as to adapt the vertical bars for attachment to the frame bars as heretofore described. The vertical bars, 2, are first placed securely in a frame made for the purpose, which frame is so constructed as to hold the vertical bars rigidly in position. The horizontal bars 5 are then forced through the holes in the vertical bars until all the horizontal bars of that section are in place. These sections of grating for convenience in handling and transportation are usually three feet six inches by seven feet. After all the bars in a section are in place, the section of the grating, with the holding frame, is submerged in a tank of boiling oil or water and the metal raised to a temperature sufficient to prevent its fracture in the operation of twisting the horizontal bars and to permit of the easy twisting of these bars. lVhile the section of grating is so submerged, with its holding frame holding the grating section rigidly in place, a specially made grip wrench is engaged with each horizontal bar between the vertical bars and a slight twist is given to each of the horizontal bars between each two of the vertical bars, this twist being suflicient to prevent the two sets of bars from slipping upon each oth er and sufficient to turn the hrizontal bars so that their faces shall be in a plane parallel to the edges of the vertical bars. This twist is made up so close to the vertical bars that the middle of the horizontal bars is twisted not only on both sides of the vertical bars but even into the slot 3, of the vertical bars as shown in Fig. 6. This not only makes the horizontal bars absolutely tight in the slots in the vertical bars, but also prevents any possible sidewise movement of the vertical bars with relation to the horizontal bars.

After the vertical bars have been twisted at their ends, as at i, and the horizontal bars have been twisted between the vertical bars into the position shown in Fig. 8, the section of grating is removed from its heating bath and is in condition to be attached to the inclosing frame by which it may be mounted in place. The adjacent ends of the horizontal bars are held between opposed battens 7, to which the adjacent ends of the horizontal bars are riveted. Horizontal frame bars 8 are riveted to the ends 4 of the vertical bars, and to the opposite ends of the battens 7. Opposed angleirons 9 form the end pieces of the frame and are riveted to each other and to the ends of the horizontal bars. It will be seen that in this manner the sections of grating may be connected to each other to form a complete grating of any size required, the ends of the horizontal bars fitting perfectly between the opposed angle irons, 9, of the end frames.

It will be seen from Figs. 3, 5 and 6, that the peculiar form of the bends 6 in the horizontal bars is such that the horizontal bars are all bent in one direction and not in opposite directions, and that the portions of the horizontal bars adjacent to the face of the vertical bars contact with the faces of the vertical bars. It will also be seen that the twist given to the horizontal bars extends somewhat into the slots 3 and that the horizontal bars therefore fill the slot and are heldfroin any transverse movement.

I have found in practice that my invention furnishes a particularly strong grating wherein the bars cannot be shifted in relation to each other and wherein the horizontal bars can be easily cleaned and will not collect dust. I have also found that my grating sections may be constructed very easily, according to the method described.

I'Vhile I have shown and described my con-. struction as applied to the gratings of jails and analogous structures, I do not wish to limit myself to this use of the gratings, as I may equally well use my invention in the construction of fences or analogous structures.

It should be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the precise degree of slant given to the slots 3, nor to the precise degree of twist imparted.to the horizontal bars. Where the horizontal bars are Very heavy and the vertical bars close together, the degree of twist cannot be as great as where the bars are smaller and far apart.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

1. A prisoncellgrating comprising, a plurality of vertical bars each having spaced slots extending therethrough from one side to the other and elongated longitudinally of the bars, the sides of the slots being disposed at an acute angle to the side edges of the bars, and a plurality of horizontal bars extending through the slots of the vertical bars and relatively thin and flatin cross section, the portions of the horizontal bars between the bars being twisted out of alinement with the slots to dispose the flat side faces of the horizontal bars parallel with the side edges of the vertical bars, there being abrupt shoulders formed by the twisting of the horizontal bars for engaging the opposite sides of the vertical bars to prevent lateral movement of the latter.

2. A structure having a series of vertical bars formed with spaced slots inclined to the longer axis of each of the bars all of substantially the same length as the width of the latter, aseries: of transverse bars passing through said inclined slots in the firstnamed series of bars and twisted between said bars to a degree equal to the inclination of the slots so as to bring said twisted portions of the second series of bars into a plane parallel with the. longer axis of each of the first series of bars, the narrow edges of the said twisted portions being at the top and bottom of the transverse bars.

8. A structure having a series of vertical bars each formed with a series of slots inclined at an acute angle to the vertical axis of the, bar, in combination with a series of horizontal bars inserted through said slots, said horizontal bars between the vertical bars being twisted out of alinement with the slots to throw the flat side faces into a plane parallel with the longer axis of the vertical bars, there being abrupt shoulders formed in the horizontal bars for engaging opposite sides of the vertical bars.

4. A prison cell grating comprising a frame formed of angle iron arranged to provide an inwardly-extending marginal flange, a plurality of vertical bars spaced apart and arranged with their fiat faces opposed to each other and having their ends twisted to bear fiat against the said marginal flange, means for securing the ends of the bars to the said flange, battens disposed parallel with the vertical bars with their ends bearing on opposite sides of the flange of the frame and rigidly secured thereto, said vertical bars having spaced slot-s elongated longitudinally of the bars and inclined at an angle to the axes thereof, the slots of the bars being disposed in alinement, horizontal .bars extending through the alined slots and secured to the marginal flange of the frame and extending between the battens and rigidly secured thereto, said horizontal bars being of the same width as the vertical bars and the portions thereof disposed between adjacent vertical bars and between the outermost bars and frame and innermost bars and battens being twisted out of alinement with the slots and in parallelism with the side edges of the vertical bars. I

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DAVID FRANKLIN YOUNGBLOOD. Witnesses MARSHALL HICKS, R. A. REESE. 

